Good Friday morning. President Barack Obama’s visit to Capitol Hill to pump up House Dems has been moved from today to tomorrow, to put it even closer to the health-reform vote, likely to come Saturday night or early Sunday. 218 votes are needed; leadership tells us the total won’t exceed 225 out of the 258 Ds (Bill Owens of N.Y. 23 will be sworn in before the vote), with no Rs. VICE PRESIDENT JOE BIDEN IS HELPING, per the White House: “The vice president will be in Wilmington, Delaware. … In the afternoon, the vice president will speak by phone with members of the House of Representatives about the need to pass health insurance reform.” POLITICO’s Carol E. Lee: “President Obama will visit with U.S. soldiers receiving care at Walter Reed Army Medical Center … It is Obama's first visit to Walter Reed as president.”

THE FIRST LADY, very glam on the cover of Conde Nast’s GLAMOUR magazine, as one of the Women of the Year. 6-PAGE MRS. OBAMA ARTICLE, including her Diplomatic Room pose with seven White House interns: “Can a woman HAVE a bigger year than America’s instant icon, Michelle Obama, did? Not possible.”

INTERVIEWED BY KATIE COURIC for the issue, Mrs. Obama gives advice to a young professional seeking a man: “Cute’s good. But cute only lasts for so long, and then it’s, Who are you as a person? That’s the advice I would give to women: Don’t look at the bankbook or the title. Look at the heart. Look at the soul. Look at how the guy treats his mother and what he says about women. How he acts with children he doesn’t know. And, more important, how does he treat you? When you’re dating a man, you should always feel good. You should never feel less than. You should never doubt yourself. You shouldn’t be in a relationship with somebody who doesn’t make you completely happy and make you feel whole. And if you’re in that relationship and you’re dating, then my advice is, don’t get married.”

SUSAN RICE, “ The Peacemaker,” is also among the Women of the Year: “The first female African American U.S. Ambassador to the U.N., she is putting women’s needs at the forefront of the American agenda at the United Nations." GLAMOUR announces Katie Couric as monthly columnist

FULL LIST OF WOMEN OF THE YEAR (including STELLA MCCARTNEY and RIHANNA)

FORMER VICE PRESIDENT AL GORE, in town to promote his elegant new book “Our Choice,” tells POLITICO’s John F. Harris and Mike Allen that President Obama SHOULD go to the climate conference in Copenhagen in mid-December, a question still being debated in the West Wing: “At Copenhagen, we have to have a binding political agreement that the major countries — both developed and developing, sign on to. … What is essential is that the outcome feel to the world community as if it’s a major step forward.” Gore said he’ll be in Copenhagen: “The Yiddish word is ‘noodge.’ … Incidentally, my Yiddish adviser had long been Mike’s [Feldman’s] grandmother [Ruth]. … I’m under no illusions that I’m anything but a private citizen outside the process. I will be making a speech to the meeting, and I will be having meetings with delegations that have asked me to come meet with them.” Asked if he thinks it’s important for President Obama to go, Gore replied: “I think it is. … I think he SHOULD go, simply because the stakes are SO high and, by the way, the U.S. has so much at risk because all around the world, the topic of conversation with regard to climate is: When’s the U.S. gonna act? … We’re … the natural leader of the world in the eyes of nations on every continent. And this is by far the most serious challenge the world’s ever faced. … I would hope that he’ll go.”

STATE VISIT: Joe Ward, In town for sister Catherine's wedding tomorrow to Matt Watson.

DRIVING THE DAY — AP: “The Labor Department today releases the monthly unemployment report. Analysts look for the jobless rate to rise a-tenth to 9.9 percent. Some 175,000 jobs are expected to have been lost.”

TOP STORY — DEATH TOLL AT FORT HOOD RAISED TO 13 THIS MORNING — Chicago Tribune banner: “Massacre at military base.” AP latest: “[A]n Army psychiatrist trained to help soldiers in distress [turned] on his comrades in a shooting rampage that killed 13 people and wounded 30 in Texas. The suspected shooter, Maj. Nidal Malik Hasan [a 39-year-old Arlington native], was on a ventilator and unconscious in a hospital after being shot four times during the shootings at the Army's sprawling Fort Hood, post officials said. In the early chaos after the shootings, authorities believed they had killed him, only to discover later that he had survived.”

WashPost A1, “ Suspect, devout Muslim from Va., wanted Army discharge, aunt said,” by Mary Pat Flaherty, William Wan and Christian Davenport: “He prayed every day at the Muslim Community Center in Silver Spring, a devout Muslim who, despite asking to be discharged from the U.S. Army, was on the eve of his first deployment to war. … In an interview, his aunt, Noel Hasan of Falls Church, said he had endured name-calling and harassment about his Muslim faith for years after the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks and had sought for several years to be discharged from the military. … He steered clear of female colleagues, co-workers said, and despite devout religious practices, listed himself in Army records as having no religious preference.”

AP’s Lara Jakes and Pam Hess: “The Army psychiatrist suspected of carrying [out] a shooting rampage at Fort Hood, Texas, had come to the attention of authorities six months ago because of Internet postings that discussed suicide bombings and other threats, law enforcement officials said Thursday. The postings appeared to have been made by Maj. Nidal Malik Hasan … The officials say they are still trying to confirm that he was the author. … One of the Web postings that authorities reviewed is a blog that equates suicide bombers with a soldier throwing himself on a grenade to save the lives of his comrades.”

NETWORK NEWS ALERT — Boston Globe p.1, “ Credit card firms hurry to raise rates: Some top 30 percent as new rules loom,” by Megan Woolhouse: “Credit card companies are rushing to increase interest rates to historic highs of more than 30 percent, cut credit limits, and add new fees, even for customers who pay their bills on time. Lenders are making the moves in advance of tougher federal regulations for credit cards scheduled to take effect on Feb. 22. The new rules will limit how companies can modify credit card agreements, specifically prohibiting them from retroactively raising interest rates and fees on existing balances. US Representative Barney Frank, the Massachusetts Democrat who chairs the Financial Services Committee and is a leader in the effort to revamp credit card policies, said banks have ‘abused’ the nine-month period granted them to re-tool their practices. ‘I didn’t think they would be as blatant as they were about doing this,’ he said. ‘There’s no justification for raising rates retroactively. This is really just a way for them to make more money.’”

** U.S. investments in global health are working. Worldwide childhood deaths have been cut in half over the last 50 years. See stories of Living Proof, including a special presentation by Bill and Melinda Gates, at www.LivingProofProject.org. **

THE PULSE:

— AP: “In a major boost, the American Medical Association and the powerful seniors' lobby AARP both threw their weight behind the [House] bill. AARP, with its 40 million members, promised to run ads and contact activists to gin up support. … ‘I am extraordinarily pleased and grateful to learn that the AARP and the American Medical Association are both supporting the health insurance reform bill that will soon come up to vote in the House of Representatives,’ Obama said in an unannounced visit to the White House briefing room.”

—TALK RADIO ALERT — “ AMA endorsement has group split,” by POLITICO’s Chris Frates: “The American Medical Association’s decision to endorse the House reform bill before its members had a chance to weigh in has dissenting factions threatening a ‘showdown’ this weekend. Opponents of the group’s endorsement are planning to introduce multiple resolutions to rescind or amend the AMA’s nod, according to an official whose doctor group opposes today’s endorsement. … [T]he American Association of Neurological Surgeons and the Congress of Neurological Surgeons announced their opposition to the House bill.”

— WSJ p. 1, “ Democrats Post Health Bill Hurdle,” by Naftali Bendavid in Lafayette, La.: “Majority Leader Harry Reid's decision to include a government-run competitor to private insurers — commonly dubbed ‘the public option’ — greatly intensifies the pressure to satisfy all 58 Democrats and two independents in the Senate, since it is now unlikely any Republicans will support the bill. Sixty votes are needed to block a filibuster and bring the bill to the Senate floor, though if that It may take special concessions to keep on board a handful of Democrats uneasy with the ‘public option,’ like [Senator Mary] Landrieu.”

— USA Today A1, “Obama to stump for House weekend health vote: AARP, AMA throw weight behind bill,” by Kathy Kiely: “Asked Thursday whether she has the votes, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) said, ‘We will.’ …. House passage would represent an important milestone for the most ambitious health bill since Medicare in 1965. But the bill faces challenges in the Senate. Majority Leader Harry Reid of Nevada has said he will not rush to get it done before year’s end.”

— WEST WING MINDMELD: If the Senate would work weekends, the bill could be on the president’s desk by Christmas.

— L.A. Times A1, “ Seniors, doctors give key boost to health bill: The din grows from the left and right as a House vote nears,” by Janet Hook and Noam N. Levey: “The angry voices of opposition echoed the conservative protests that have been heard this year at anti-tax "tea party" rallies, as well as at congressional town hall meetings on healthcare and in some of the campaigns leading up to Tuesday's off-year elections. Though the rally in front of the Capitol was peaceful, Capitol Police arrested 21 antiabortion activists and others inside House and Senate office buildings for disorderly conduct and related charges. … [T]he AMA has drawn criticism from some doctors and conservative talk shows. A source close to the AMA said its internal polling has shown doctors to be closely divided on a public option and healthcare reform proposed by Democrats, but 20 percent or more of doctors across the country also are undecided on what to support.”

NEWT GINGRICH AND TEXAS GOV. RICK PERRY PEN WASH POST OP-ED — “Let states lead the way”: “Congress is on the verge of enacting the largest unfunded mandate in American history. At a time when most states are struggling with rising unemployment, declining tax revenue and the worst national economic climate in 30 years, Congress is demonstrating that it is more out of touch than ever. … Complaints from majorities of Republican and Democratic governors alike continue to fall on deaf ears. Congress seems intent on forcing a one-size-fits-all mandate on states, some of which actually have solutions to repair their health-care systems that Washington is preventing them from trying.”

ALSO DRIVING THE CONVERSATION, by Michael Falcone:

HAPPENING THIS MORNING: President Obama will sign the Worker, Homeownership and Business Assistance Act of 2009.

ABOUT THE BILL: “ Congress Extends Jobless Benefits, Home-Buyer Credit,” by WSJ’s Corey Boles: “The House voted 403-12 to pass the bill after the Senate unanimously approved it Wednesday. The legislation would also extend and expand a home-buyers' tax credit and allow big businesses to claim a larger portion of the losses they have incurred in the recession against previously paid taxes. The bill's centerpiece is an extension of federal jobless benefits by 14 weeks for unemployed Americans in all 50 states, and by 20 weeks in states with jobless rates averaging at least 8.5 percent in the previous three months. The national unemployment rate hit a 26-year high of 9.8 percent in September, and economists expect the Labor Department to report a further rise for October in its Friday report.”

“ DEMOCRATS PUSH CLIMATE BILL THROUGH PANEL WITHOUT GOP DEBATE,” by NYT’s John M. Broder: “[Democrats] on the Environment and Public Works Committee pushed through a climate bill on Thursday without any debate or participation by Republicans. The measure passed by an 11-to-1 vote with the support of all the Democratic committee members except Senator Max Baucus of Montana. The seven Republicans boycotted the committee meetings this week, saying they had not had sufficient time to study the bill and demanding that the Environmental Protection Agency conduct a thorough study of its economic costs and benefits. The move suggests that President Obama and Democratic supporters of the bill will have serious problems assembling the votes needed to enact it when it comes to the Senate floor, probably not before next year.”

RICHARD CULLEN IN THE NEWS: “McGuireWoods LLP announced … that Richard Cullen, chairman of the firm, and Bernie McNamee, a partner, have been named to serve on Attorney General-elect Ken Cuccinelli’s transition team. Cullen is one of three people named as chair of the transition team, while McNamee will serve as the executive director of the transition, overseeing day-to-day operations. Andy Miller, a former Virginia Attorney General and Patrick McSweeney, a former United States Justice Department official, are serving as chairs along with Cullen.”

OP-ED MINUTE:

—“ THE MYTH OF '08, DEMOLISHED” — WashPost’s Charles Krauthammer: “The Obama coattails of 2008 are gone. .. November '08 was one shot, one time, never to be replicated. Nor was November '09 a realignment. It was a return to the norm — and definitive confirmation that 2008 was one of the great flukes in American political history.”

—“ HELLO, TIPPING POINT” — WSJ’s Kimberly A. Strassel: “The White House knew its liberal agenda would prove unpopular in many parts of the country represented by Democrats. So long as the president looked strong, those Blue Dogs and freshmen and swing-state senators would stick. Show them any sign of weakness, however, and rattled Dems would begin to care more about their own reelections than they did their president. Tuesday, the White House hit that tipping point.”

—“ OBAMA FACES HIS ANZIO” — NYT’s Paul Krugman: “While health care won’t be Mr. Obama’s Waterloo, economic policy is starting to look like his Anzio. … The World War II battle of Anzio was a classic example of the perils of being too cautious.”

—“ OBAMA CEDES THE CENTER” — WashPost’s Michael Gerson: “By creating deficits unequaled as a percentage of the economy since World War II, by proposing to nearly triple the national debt in the next 10 years, by using the economic crisis as an excuse for the massive expansion of government authority over health care, Obama has become a polarizing figure. … [It] is Obama's tax-and-spend ambitions that have united Republicans of every stripe in opposition, put fiscally conservative Democrats in an impossible bind and ceded the economic center to Republican candidates in Virginia and New Jersey.”

—“ WHAT INDEPENDENTS WANT” — NYT’s David Brooks: “Independents support the party that seems most likely to establish a frame of stability and order, within which they can lead their lives. They can’t always articulate what they want, but they withdraw from any party that threatens turmoil and risk.”

FOREIGN POLICY SPEED READ:

—“ PALESTINIAN SHOCK: PRESIDENT SAYS HE WANTS TO QUIT,” by AP’s Mohammed Daraghmeh: “Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas pushed Mideast peace prospects into unknown territory Thursday, announcing he doesn't want another term and opening the way to a succession battle that could play into the hands of his rival, the militant Hamas. But it also could boost the prospects of a popular candidate who reportedly wants to run for the presidency from his Israeli prison cell. Abbas blamed his decision on the stalemate in peace talks, but the wording of his televised speech raised speculation that it was not final and could be a tactic for pushing Israel and the U.S. toward a larger compromise.”

—“ REVIEWS RAISE DOUBT ON TRAINING OF AFGHAN FORCES,” NYT p. A1 by Thom Shanker and John H. Cushman Jr.: “A series of internal government reviews have presented the Obama administration with a dire portrait of Afghanistan’s military and police force, bringing into serious question an ambitious goal at the heart of the evolving American war strategy — to speed up their training and send many more Afghans to the fight. As President Obama considers his top commander’s call to rapidly double Afghanistan’s security forces, the internal reviews, written by officials directly involved in the training program or charged with keeping it on track, describe an overstretched enterprise struggling to nurse along the poorly led, largely illiterate and often corrupt Afghan forces.”

—“ OBAMA FACES COMPETING DEMANDS ON AFGHANISTAN STRATEGY,” by LA Times A1, by Greg Miller and Paul Richter: “As President Obama struggles over a new military strategy for Afghanistan, his advisors are trying to satisfy sharply divergent demands: assuring Americans that any military buildup will be limited while convincing Pakistan and other wary allies that the U.S. presence is substantial and not about to end. … On the domestic front, Obama risks alienating a political base that has become increasingly impatient with the 8-year-old war. At the same time, the president faces potentially serious setbacks in Afghanistan and Pakistan if the heads of those governments — not to mention the leaders of the Taliban insurgency — see any indication of a wavering U.S. commitment.”

— LESSONS FROM SEC. CLINTON’S TRIP — POLITICO’s Laura Rozen: 1. Running for president was good training to be secretary of state. “…the sheer pace of high-impact public events and behind-closed-door meetings was remarkable…” 2. A breakneck schedule packed with events is not without risks. “That was demonstrated by Clinton’s late-night news conference with Israel’s Benjamin Netanyahu...” 3. She is much better served by her current staffers than she was by her 2008 campaign staff. “Their quick reaction to the settlement controversy and teamwork in trying to deal with its consequences were the kind of damage control not always demonstrated by the Clinton political team…” 4. She’s a lightning rod, for better or for worse. “She is one of those people whose words — even tonal inflections— and body language have unusual impact and are scrutinized under the microscope…” 5. She is not suffering from special-envoy eclipse. Neither U.S. Afghanistan and Pakistan envoy Richard Holbrooke or U.S. Middle East envoy George Mitchell “was looking as fresh or as enthusiastic as Clinton.”

ELECTION WRAP:

—“ GOP'S SPECIAL ELECTIONS LOSING STREAK,” by POLITICO’s Erika Lovley: “Lost amid the Republican euphoria surrounding Tuesday’s elections is this inconvenient fact: The GOP just got its clock cleaned, again, in another high-stakes House special election. It shouldn’t have come as a surprise, since Republicans have lost 20 of the past 29 House special elections, dating back to January 2003. And in perhaps the most worrisome aspect of the trend, the GOP lost its fifth-consecutive competitive special election in Republican-friendly territory. … Republican strategists don’t see an overarching theme behind the recent big-game losses and, instead, point to the until recently poisonous political environment for GOP candidates, weak individual nominees and an inability, at the local level, to act in the best interests of the party by uniting behind the eventual GOP nominee.”

— WASHINGTON STATE APPROVES DOMESTIC PARTNERSHIP LAW — AP’s Rachel La Corte, dateline Olympia, Wash.: “Washington voters have approved the state's new "everything but marriage" law, expanding rights for domestic partners and marking the first time any state's voters have approved a gay equality measure at the ballot box. With about 72 percent of the expected vote counted Thursday in unofficial returns, Referendum 71 was leading 52 percent to 48 percent, with a margin of about 60,000 votes. … The measure asked voters to approve or reject the latest expansion of the state's domestic partnership law, granting registered domestic partners additional state rights previously given only to married couples. Full-fledged gay marriage is still not allowed under Washington law.”

— CALIF. SENATE RACE — “ FIORINA: 'SHAME ON ME' FOR NOT VOTING MORE,” by AP’s Judy Lin: “Weeks after Republican gubernatorial candidate Meg Whitman was criticized over her poor voting record, U.S. Senate candidate Carly Fiorina tried to fend off a similar line of questioning by owning up to her spotty past. The former head of Hewlett-Packard, who is running for the seat now held by Democrat Barbara Boxer, said she has no excuse for not voting more often when people have died for that right. … Fiorina's frank assessment of her inconsistent past appears to be a campaign strategy to blunt potential criticism after Whitman found herself in the middle of a political firestorm over her poor voting record. … According to Fiorina's campaign, she voted in six of 14 elections in California since 2000. She lived in New Jersey for the previous 10 years but never voted.”

CHATTER — WashPost’s “The Reliable Source,” by Amy Argetsinger and Roxanne Roberts, lead of Style section, “Michelle Rhee, fully engaged … [D.C. Schools Chancellor] Michelle Rhee and [Sacramento Mayor] Kevin Johnson … holding hands during the inauguration … [S]he confirmed for us, they're engaged. Rhee, 39, spoke Wednesday night at a Democrats for Education Reform/DC School Reform Now event downtown, and a pretty sparkly thing on her left hand caught the eye of more than one audience member. Seems fitting, since this is a relationship we've largely followed via sightings of the two at various policy-wonk confabs. They seem to have bonded over education reform. Johnson, 43, is a former NBA star who transitioned into politics as the founder of a charter school — Rhee served on its board — before winning his first race last year to become mayor of his home town. Rhee also served on his transition team. … Rhee, who is divorced with two kids, has had a tumultuous couple of months, at odds with D.C. Council members and teachers over her budget cuts and firing of nearly 400 staffers. The never-married Johnson, meanwhile, is still in the first year as mayor and dealing with the drip-drip-drip of one of those annoying municipal scandals (a city employee who allegedly handed out illegal permits to developers). But Rhee told us she's not leaving D.C. They plan on a long engagement — no wedding date set, and none envisioned in the near term — and will keep this a commuter relationship for a while.”

ALSO ENGAGED: Richard Hudson (chief of staff to Rep. Mike Conaway) proposed to Renee Howell (chief of staff to Rep. Mark Souder) at Bobby Van's Grill last night. Proposal came at 9:15 p.m., in front of best friends at his birthday celebration. She said “yes.” (hat tip: Amber Burton)

BUSINESS BURST — “Question for Oprah: Broadcast or Cable?” by N.Y. Times’ Bill Carter and Brian Stelter: “Oprah Winfrey is nearing a decision on whether to continue her daily talk show on broadcast television or move it to the forthcoming cable channel that she will own with Discovery Communications, executives from her production company and the CBS Corporation, which owns the rights to the show, said Thursday. The executives emphasized that nothing had changed in the timing of the decision, which had been expected before the end of the year. Ms. Winfrey, who in the past has taken advantage of speculation about possibly leaving her show in order to enhance renewals, is also negotiating with syndicators other than CBS, several executives aware of the discussions said Thursday. Leslie Moonves, the chairman of CBS, told analysts in an earnings call on Thursday that CBS would not know the outcome of the negotiations with Ms. Winfrey ‘for a few months.’ His comments were a reaction to a report on the Web site Deadline Hollywood Daily that Ms. Winfrey had decided to end her syndicated deal and move the show to the new OWN cable channel, The Oprah Winfrey Network.”

SPORTS BLINK — YANKEES TICKER-TAPE PARADE TODAY — MLB.com: “World Series champs to trek Big Apple's Canyon of Heroes … New York City Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg has announced that the Yankees will be honored for their World Series victory with a ticker-tape parade down the Canyon of Heroes on Friday, beginning at 11 a.m. ET. Live coverage begins at 10 ET on MLB.com and will continue through the ceremony at City Hall Plaza. The parade route will start on Broadway at Battery Place and continue northbound to Chambers Street, with showers of confetti bathing Derek Jeter, Alex Rodriguez and the rest of the World Series champions along the way. The victory march will be followed by a ceremony at City Hall Plaza, where the Mayor plans to present Joe Girardi's Yankees with keys to the city for their defeat of the Phillies in the six-game Fall Classic. … The Yankees will ride parade floats and wave to what is expected to be a crowd in the multiple millions, celebrating the Bombers' first title since 2000, which was secured with New York's 7-3 victory over Philadelphia on Wednesday at Yankee Stadium. … The sidewalks lining Friday's ticker-tape parade up the Canyon of Heroes along Broadway from the Battery to City Hall are open to all members of the public, and the city will set up a large screen near City Hall Park for members of the public to watch the subsequent ceremony. … It is the 178th ticker-tape parade on Broadway and the first since February 2008, when the New York Giants won the Super Bowl.”

DESSERT — POLITICO’s Daniel Libit: “Levi Johnston's Twitter impostor has finally come clean. … After Conan O'Brien apologized Thursday night to Johnston for a skit William Shatner performed on ‘The Tonight Show’ Wednesday, in which he dramatically read the missives from @LeviJohnston05 under the premise that they were from Bristol Palin's former fiance, the still-anonymous account holder has adopted a new Twitter handle: @notlevijohnston. ‘I’d like to apologize personally to Levi Johnston and his lawyer and publicist for misrepresenting him in any way,’ said O'Brien. ‘Levi is clearly a great American. We wish him the best of luck as he trains for his upcoming naked photo shoot.’ On Wednesday, Johnston's attorney Rex Butler told TMZ that he was in the process of ‘dealing with Twitter’ about the account.”

** U.S. investments to fight malaria, measles, AIDS and other diseases are saving and improving the lives of millions of people in poor and developing countries — and as a result, empowering them to lead more productive lives. Since 2000, deaths from measles in Africa have dropped by 89%, and malaria cases are down at least 50% in 29 countries. See stories of Living Proof, including a special presentation by Bill and Melinda Gates, at www.LivingProofProject.org. **

****** A message from the Embassy of the United Arab Emirates: UAE airlines have received or have on order more than 800 Boeing aircraft. Emirates is the world's largest operator of Boeing 777s and has 40 Boeing 787-10s currently on order. Flydubai operates an all-Boeing fleet of planes and has a total of 361 Boeing 737s on order. Etihad operates 24 Boeing 777s with 25 more on order, and has an additional $8.7 billion order for Boeing 787-10s. UAE airlines now serve 11 US gateway cities from Dubai and Abu Dhabi with more than 250 weekly nonstop flights. http://politi.co/2AtLDMj ******

About The Author

Mike Allen is the chief White House correspondent for POLITICO. He comes to us from Time magazine where he was their White House correspondent. Prior to that, Allen spent six years at The Washington Post, where he covered President Bush's first term, Capitol Hill, campaign finance, and the Bush, Gore and Bradley campaigns of 2000. Before turning to national politics, he covered schools and local governments in rural counties outside Fredericksburg, Va., for The Free Lance-Star, then wrote about Doug Wilder, Oliver North, Chuck Robb and the Bobbitts for the Richmond Times-Dispatch, where he nurtured police sources on overnight ride-alongs through housing projects. Allen also covered Mayor Giuliani, the Connecticut statehouse and the wacky rich of Greenwich for The New York Times. Before moving to The Times, he did stints in the Richmond and Alexandria bureaus of The Washington Post. Allen grew up in Orange County, Calif., and has a B.A. from Washington and Lee University, where he majored in politics and journalism.